Inlet valve assembly



c. E. STEVENS 3,036,814

INLET VALVE ASSEMBLY May 29, 1962 Filed Deo. 24, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet lINVENTOR. CLPf/VC STEVE/MS May 29, 1962 c. E. STEVENS INLET VALVEASSEMBLY 2 Sheets-Shea?l 2 Filed Dec. 24, 1959 ddhli Patented May 29,1962 3,036,814 INLET VALVE ASSEMBLY Clarence E. Stevens, Pasadena,Calif., assignor to 'Ijhe Filtex Corporation, Los Angeles, Calif., acorporation of Michigan Filed Dec. 24, 1959, Ser. No. 861,990 7 Claims.(Cl. 251-299) This invention relates generally to installed centralvacuum cleaning system for use in dwellings, commercial 'and other typebuildings, and more particulraly to an inlet valve assembly for such asystem.

Central vacuum cleaning systems for cleaning purposes generally comprisevacuum apparatus including a suction fan with a dust collectingcontainer located 4in one room of the building, such as a basement orutility room. The central vacuum cleaning apparatus is connected througha system Vof tubing or conduits which extends within the floors andwalls of the building and which terminates in conveniently positionedvalve closed ports adapted to receive and seat one end of a flexiblevair conducting hose usually provided with a portable cleaningattachment at its other end.

The effectiveness of an installed suction cleaning system is dependentupon the pressure of suction throughout the system for it is the flow ofair through the cleaning nozzle at the end of the flexible hose thataccomplishes cleaning. Leaks at any point in the system permitting airto enter reduces the suction available for careful work and ifsufiiciently large or numerous render the system entirely ineffective.

It has been determined that the valve-closed ports to which theindividual person-propelled cleaning units are attached and detachedcomprise one of the most important sources of leak. These individualports, which really comprise valve assemblies, are normally closed by avalve. If the valve does not seat properly, a leak results. Use over aperiod of time frequently results in injury to or deterioration of thevalve assembly making it desirable to replace all or part of theassembly. 'I'he present invention comprises a valve assembly in whichdeteriorated, injured or misaligned parts can be replaced with ease.

According to the invention, the inlet valve assembly comprises amounting plate securable to an interior surface formed by a floor,ceiling or wall; a sleeve fitted in an aperture of hte mounting plate;an intermediate plate out- Wardly of and juxtaposed to the mountingplate to which it is removably secured; ya valve plate pivotallysupported on the intermediate plate and biased to a normally closedposition so that the valve it carries seals the end of the sleeve; and aface or cover plate removably secured to the intermediate plate.

The valve proper is formed by a spring metal disc secured to the valveplate and is provided With `a resilient gasket at its periphery. Sincethe valve plate is pivotally secured ,to the intermediate plate securedto the mounting plate, as is the sleeve, an excellent seal is providedby the valve on Vthe sleeve irrespective of the alignment of the sleeverelative to the interior room surface and the alignment of the mountingplate on the interi-or room surface.

Accordingly, it is a primary object of the invention to provide animproved inlet valve assembly for installed suction cleaning systems.

IIt is -a principal object of the invention to provide an inlet valveassembly for an installed suction cleaning system in which the valveseal is not affected by the contour of the room surface on which theassembly is mounted or by anyV misalignment of the inlet tubing withlthe conduit vsystem- A further object of the Vinvention vis to providean inlet valve assembly for an installed suction cleaning system 2 inwhich the valve plate, the face plate and the intermediate plate whichsupports the valve plate, may be removed as a unitary assembly forservicing.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide an inlet valveassembly in which all of the valve supporting plates are positionedinwardly of the interior room surface.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an inlet valveassembly in which the valve mounting plate `on the interior room surfaceis mounted and supported independently of the permanently installedtubing `on the opposite side of the wall.

These and other more specific objects will appear upon reading thefollowing specification and claims and upon considering in connectiontherewith the attached drawings to which they relate.

Referring now to the drawings in which a preferred embodiment of theinvention is illustrated:

FIGURE l is a plan view through the valve assembly comprising thepresent invention showing the face plate and the valve plate in itsnormally closed position;

FIGURE 2 is a longitudinal section upon the line 2 2 of FIGURE l;

FIGURE 3 is an exploded View of the inlet sleeve, the mounting plate,the hinge mounting means 4and the intermediate plate;

FIGURE 4 is a transverse section on theline 4-4 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 5 is a transverse sectional View of an embodiment Iof theinvention installed in a plaster wall; and

FIGURE 6 is a view on the line V6--6 of FIGURE 5 illustrating theadditional support of the unit upon an adjacent support or stud.

Referring again to the drawings, the embodiment of the invention asshown in FIGURES l to 4 comprises genorally the mounting plate 1 inwhich the inlet sleeve 2 is secured; the intermediate outwardly openingshallowcupshaped plate 3; the valve plate 4 which carries the valve; andthe inwardly opening shallow cup-shaped face plate 5.

As may be best seen in FIGURES 2 andr3, the mounting plate l isgenerally rectangular and substantially flat except for the downwardlydirected central circular iiange 11 which defines the aperture 1 9.Inlet sleeve 2, adapted to receive a Vacuum cleaning hose, is vfixedlyand permanently secured to fiange l1 by the spot welds 12 or by .othersuitable means. The plate 1 is removably secured to an interior surfaceof a room, such las* the floor 6, by means of wood screws 'i whichextend through the holes 13, with sleeve 2 extending through an Vopening9 in the floor. Plate 1 is also provided at one side of the sleeve 2with a rectangular cutout opening 17 which extends generally parallel toan adjacent edge for a purpose to be referred to later, and also withVthreaded openings 14 adapted to seat small screws. Y

The intermediate plate 3 is `mounted von and adjacent mounting .plate 1and is substantially rectangular, having a central raised fiat bottom 25surrounded by a peripheral Vdepressed channel portion 24. Upwardlyextending from bottom 2S of plate -3 are side walls ftl'from whichextend the two opposite inwardly directed ears v31 each having athreaded hole 32. Centrally located` `in bottom 25 is an aperture 26adapted to lit around sleeve 2 when the -plate 3 is secured to the plate1, as shown in FIGURE 2.

A hinge bracket 16 is -secured to the underside of plate ,3 by means ofIrivets 2li which extend through holes 22 in bott-om 25 and holes 2,1 of'bracket 16. Spaced ears 1S on the `bracket 16 extend upwardly above thebortom 25 through the opening 29 and provide supporting ,means for thevalve plate 4. which is pivotally supported by a suitable pintle 47extending through an opening 19 ,in each ear.

The plate 3 overlaps plate 1 around its margins, as

shown in FIGURE 2, the latter being positioned within the -raisedportion on the underside of the bottom 25 inwardly of peripheral portion24. Screws 15 removably secure plate 3 to plate 1 extending through theopening 28 in plate 3 and into the threaded openings 14 in plate 1. Whenthe plates 3 and 1 are so engaged, the bracket 16 on the underside ofplate 3 lies in the opening 17 in plate 1 which permits plates 1 and 3to be in flat contact. The heads of screws 7, which secure plate 1 tofloor 6, are recessed in enlarged openings 2.7 in bottom portion 25 ofplate 3 for the same reasons.

Valve plate 4 has a circular central body formed with a lip 40 at .oneside, a central depressed portion 41, and a substantially rectangularextension 37 at the opposite side. Secured to the bottom of valve plate4, and more particularly to the bottom of depressed portion `41, bymeans of nut and bolt 44 and 45, respectively, is a flat spring disc 42.The head of bolt 45 lies within the recess formed in the top face ofplate 4 by depressed portion 41 to provide a flush appearance andrelationship. Spring disc 42 car-ries a circular resilient gasket aroundits periphery and, though being held to pla-te 4 only by the centralbolt, is adapted to be deflected and tilted relative to that plate.

Downwardly directed from the extension 37 are spaced ears 46 by whichvalve plate 4 is hingedly mounted to bracket 16 by means of a pintle 47extended through the openings in the respective ears. Torsion spring 48,coiled on pintle 47, normally biases the valve plate to its closedposition, shown in FIGURE 2, to hold the gasket 43 in abutting sealingrelationship on the end of sleeve 2 which plate 4 overlies.

IFace plate has t-he same general exterior dimensions as theintermediate plate 3 but with suflicient additional length and width soas to enable it to overlap the latter With its downwardly directedmarginal side walls 53 enclosing the side walls 30 of plate 3. The twoplates are secured together by screws 33 which extend through holes 34in plate 5 and threadedly engage the holes 32 in plate 3. A centralopening 52 in plate 5 conforms to the configuration of plate 4 and therelationship is such that the latter, when in its closed position, liesHush at its top surface with the top of plate 5. Adjacent to the lip 40on the plate 4 is a depression 54 formed in plate 5 to permit the easyengagement of the lip 40 by a finger for pivoting plate 4 to its openposition.

Sleeve 2 is seated telescopically within the reduced end of a conduit 49formed interiorly with a circular groove 51. The sleeve and the tube aresecured together as by an adhesive and the presence of an O-ring 50 inthe groove 51 provides an air tight relationship between them. Tube 49is connected directly to the central vacuum apparatus whereby dust anddirt may be carried by an air stream moved by a suction fan through ahose having one end fitted in sleeve 2 and having a suction nozzle onits y other end. In addition to being adhesively bonded to sleeve 2,tube 49 is mounted and held in place by additional structure forming nopart of the present invention.

From the foregoing, it is clear that plates 1, 3, 4, 5 and the sleeve 2form a unitary construction as shown in FIGURE 2. It is of greatadvantage that the valve plate 4 and the valve proper, comprising springdisc 42 and gasket 43, which seats on the outer end of sleeve 2, aremounted directly through the plate 3 and the bracket 16 on the plate 1which carries sleeve 2. The result is that regardless of the alignmentof plates 1 on an interior supporting surface of the room the valve isproperly and accurately related to sleeve 2. Any slight variation due,for example to manufacturing tolerances or to deformation in installing,are accommodated by the flexibility of the valve disc 42 which flexesand shifts to enable the gasket 43 to lie llat against the end of sleeve2.

In FIGURES 5 and 6, the invention is shown installed in an opening 64 ina vertical plaster wall 58. The unitary valve construction includingplates and structure on the interior of the room are the same aspreviously described. Here, however, plate 1 is secured by means oftoggle bolts 57 which extend through the wall '58 and are tightenedagainst the side thereof outwardly of the room. In order to facilitatethe installation an additional mounting plate 60 is provided which maybe secured to a stud or studs 59 behind the wall and near to the opening64 by nails `61 through holes 62. Plate 60 has an oversized aperture 63in alignment with the sleeve 2 and is adapted to loosely receive andsupport the outlet tube 55 of the elbow 56 of the vacuum system duringinstallation.

The conduit system of which the elbow 56 is a part, lies behind the wall18 and is preferably installed in the building before the wall is made.The mounting plate 60 supports the elbow and the plasterers making thewall are able to judge where to make the wall opening 64. After the wallis completed sleeve 2 is telescoped into tube 55 and is adhesivelysecured as in the rst embodiment. Holes in the plaster wall are drilledfor the toggle bolts 57 and the plate 1 is secured in place. In otherregar-ds this form is the same as that previously described.

ln the use of the present invention suction is made available to thevalve assembly which is positioned at a convenient location in each roomor series of connected rooms. 'Depending upon the size of the buildingthe number of installations will vary but they should be sufficient innumber and so placed that the interior of the building can be cleaned bythe use of a exible suction hose of reasonable length.

When no cleaning is taking place at a particular installation the valvedisc 42 with its gasket 43 seals the end of the sleeve 2 and effectivelyprevents the entrance of -air into the system at that point. Effectivesealing is important for air leakage destroys the suction and makes lesseficient the entire circuit. When cleaning is to take place at aparticular unit, the valve plate 4 is pivoted from the closed position,shown in FIGURES 2 and 6,

deformation are `all possibilities.

to an open position in which it extends substantially perpendicularly tothe plate 1. The attaching end of the cleaning hose is then inserted insleeve 2 and serves, while it is in place, to hold the valve plate 4 inopen position. Upon the hose being withdrawn, the spring 48 immediatelysnaps plate 4 to its closed position.

Injury and breakage results in all mechanical devices and the valveassembly of an installed suction system is no exception. Springbreakage, wear of gasket, and In the unit constructed in accordance withthe present invention, the removal of a few screws makes possible thedisplacement and replacement of the various parts which are subjected towear. Each part, with the single exception of the mounting plate 1carrying the sleeve 2, can be readily removed and replaced.

In the event of the breaking of torsion spring 48, Iface plate 5 may bedisassembled from the other plates by the removal of screws 33, andplates 3 and 4 may be removed as a unitary structure from plate 1 by thewithdrawal of screws 15 and returned to the factory for repairs, ifnecessary. It is also possible to make certain repairs as desired whilethe structure is in place by the mere removal of the plate 5.

While the particular inlet valve assembly herein shown and disclosed in`detail is fully capable of attaining the objects and providing theadvantages hereinbefore stated, it is to be understood that it is merelyillustrative of the presently preferred embodiments of the invention andthat no limitations are intended to the details of construction ordesign herein shown other than as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A hose coupling and valve assembly adapted for use at the terminalends of a built-in duct system for an installed type suction cleaningapparatus, said assenti,`

bly comprising as its principal sub-assemblies an inner mountingassembly adapted t0 be secured across an opening into a room comprisingan open-ended sleeve connectable at its inner end to said built-in ductsystem and having its outer end projecting axially slightly beyond amounting means secured thereto, and a second sub-assembly comprisingvalve mounting means securable over an opening into the room after saidinner mounting assembly has been rigidly secured in place, said valvemounting means including an opening therethrough registering with theexposed end of said sleeve, a valve supporting closure plate pivotablysupponted about said last-mentioned opening including a spring -biasedself-aligning valve member positioned to close against said sleeve end,means for detachably securing said second sub-assembly across theopening into said room, said second sub-assembly including `an outerappearance plate having an opening lying in the same plane as said valvesupporting closure plate through which said valve supporting closureplate and said valve member are pivotable, and means -for detachablysecuring together said inner mounting member and said appearance plate.

2. The assembly deined in claim 1 characterized in that the pivotalsupport for said valve supporting closure plate is constructed andarranged to be normally concealed by said closure plate and beingaccessible for servicing upon the detachment of said appearance plateWithout disturbing the positions of any other components of saidcoupling and valve assembly.

3. The assembly defined in claim 1 characterized in that saidself-aligning valve comprises a thin disc of resilient material rigidlysupported only at the center thereof, and resilient gasket meansinterposed between the periphery of said disc and the juxtaposed rimedge of said sleeve end and adapted to `be held in sealing contact withone another by the suction pressure acting on the inner surface of saiddisc during operation o-f a suction cleaning apparatus with which saidassembly is adapted to be used.

4. A coupling and valve assembly adapted `for use at the terminal endsof a built-in duct system for an installed-type suction cleaningapparatus, said assembly comprising; a mounting plate adapted to besecured across an opening in a room, an open-ended sleeve secured `to anopening in said mounting plate and having an outer end projectingaxially from one side of said mounting plate and an inner end projectingaxially from the other side thereof, valve mounting means having anopening therethrough registering With said outer projecting end of saidsleeve and detachably secured to said mounting plate, a valve-supportingclosure plate, means on said valve mounting means spaced from theopening therethrough providing a pivotal connection for saidvalve-supporting closure plate, a spring biased selfaligning valve meanscentrally connected to said Valvesupporting closure plate, said valvemeans being positioned to close against said outer projecting sleeveend, an outer appearance member detachably secured to said valvemounting means and having an opening therethrough conforming generallyto the shape of said valve- 6 supporting closure plate and lying in thesame plane as said valve-supporting closure plate.

5. A coupling and valve assembly as defined in claim 4 characterized inthe provision of temporary sup-port means adapted to be permanentlymounted in alignment with an opening into a room, said temporary supportmeans having `an opening to receive and support the end of a built-induct system until the inner end of said open-ended sleeve is assembledthereto, and the opening in said temporary support means being in axialalignment with said open-ended sleeve.

6. A coupling and valve assembly as defined in claim 4 characterized inthat said self-aligning valve means includes a pivotal support normallyconcealed by said appearance member and being exposed and accessible forservicing by the detachment of said appearance member.

7. An article of manufacture comprising .a unitary valve and mountingassembly for mounting in an opening therefor in a room wall and to whichthe flexible hose of a suction cleaning nozzle is attachable when it isdesired to suction clean carpets and the like in the room, said assemblycomprising a non-threaded smoothsurfaced open-ended tube, the inner endor Wmcn is adapted to have a close telescopic t with respect to thesmooth-surfaced inlet end of an installed suction cleaner duct systemconcealed within the Walls of `a building, the outer end of said tubeextending through but terminating close to the inner plane or" the wallsurface, a liat mounting plate having an opening through which the outerend of said tube projects and to which said tube is rigidly fixed, saidmounting plate bridging the wall opening and being securable to theinner surface of the Wall, an appearance cover sub-assembly including apair of plates having upturned edges facing toward one another andhaving a nesting tit Within one another, both of said pair of plateshaving large-area aligned central openings, the inner one of which tsabout the outer end of said tube, spring-b-aised pivoting valve meansincluding a hinge therefor anchored to the inner one of said pair ofplates, said valve means normally being seated against the outer end ofsaid tube and being pivotable away therefrom through the said centralopening in the outer one of said pair of plates of said appearance coversubassembly said valve means having an outer surface lying in the sameplane as said central opening in the outer one of said pair of plates,means for holding the inner one of said last-mentioned plates to theWall, and separate means independent of said valve means `for holdingthe outer one of said plates detachably assembled directly to the innerone of said pair of plates.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS980,418 Hope Jan. 3, 1911 1,031,391 Spencer July 2, 1912 1,036,378Thurman Aug. 20, 1912 1,044,707 Sutton NOV. 19, 1912 1,618,667 MelcherFeb. 22, 1927 2,861,586 Dobbs Nov. 25, 1958

